Improvement in wind-wheels



WIND-WHEEL.

Nn.-177,3Z1.

Patented May 16, 1876.

HHHM im I N-PETERS, PHOTO LTHOGRAPN UNITED STATES PATENT Prion.

CHARLES W. GATHCART, OF WESTVILLE, INDIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN WIND-WHEELS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 177,321, dated May 16, 1876; application filed March 22, 1876. A

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown thatl, GHARLEs W. GATHCART, of Westville, in the county of La Porte and State of Indiana, have invented certain Improvements in Windmills, of which the following is a specification:

This invention relates to that class of Windmills in which the sails are pivoted in such manner that the pressure ot' the wind tends to swing them out of play, or edge to the breeze, while this tendency is resisted by reason of a weight so connected to the pivoted sails that the wind must be strong enough to overcome and raise the weight before the sails can turn out of the wind and the invention particularly relates to the mechanism for connecting the weight to. and distributing its effect among, all of the sails equally.

In myimproved mill I employ a series of radial sails, pivoted at one edge between two circular bands or rims, which form the windwheel. This large wheel is secured upon the end of an axial shaft, in the usual fashion of windmills. Loose upon this shaft, and in rear of the sails, is a second wheel, provided at its periphery with staples, which receive rods eX tended backone from the free edge of each of the pivoted sails. The only motion of which this second Wheel is capable,beyond the general rotation which it partakesin accompan yin g the great Wheel,is a limited independent rotary motion, which is imparted to it from the sails or the weight at the moment of opening or closing the sails. It serves as a means of connection between all of the sails, causing them to move together. Upon the shaft, behind this second wheel, is the common grooved sliding collar, which is connected to the ordinary lever system, terminating in a weighted lever. The downward motion of the weight is contrived by means ofthe peculiar crank-connections,

,to cause the partial rotation of the second wheel, bringing the sails into' the wind, and permitting, by its rotation in the opposite direction, the sails to be blown out ofthe wind. It is this peculiar mechanism of a second wheel, having a limited independent rotation, which, in connection with the pivoted sails, the method of attachment, and the mechanism for imparting or permitting the rotation, constitutes my invention, and which will be better understood from the following detailed description, and the accompanying' drawing, forming a part of this specification.

In the said drawing, Figure 1 is a side view of the mill, showing the sails full in the wind. Fig. 2 is a similar viewwith the sails turned out of the wind into planes parallel with its course. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the wind-wheel, and of the second wheel and other parts, viewed from the rear.

Like letters of reference made Lise of in the several gures denote like parts wherever used.

The letter A upon the drawing` marks the portion of the tower shown. shaft or axis of the wheel. The wheel itself', which carries the sails, consists, preferably, of two concentric bands or rims, C C', one of Which,C,forms theperiphery of the wind-wheel, and the other, C', of a less diameter, but/standing in the same plane, serves as an enlarged hub. These bands are braced together, and tov the real hub of the Wheel. by suitable radial spokes. (Not anywhere shown in the drawing.) Between these bands, in the annular space, are placed the sailsD, lwhich are pivoted radially at one edge, having a bearing in both rims. The sails, thus mounted in the wheel, would be free, in the absence of any restraining power, to blow around each upon its pivot edge to the wind, as will be readily understood. They are, however, held to their work in the following manner: From the end nearest the hub of each sail is projected an arm, d, to the rear far enough to pass through staples or rings e in the 'wheel E, which I term the second wheel.77 This wheelE isloose upon the main shaft, and stands in rear of, and near, the main or wind wheel, being of a diameter about equal to that of the rim C. In rear of this second wheel, and also upon the shaft, is a sliding head, Gr, fitted with a groove and collar, g, slotted to receive the forked end of a bent lever, H, fulcrumed to the cap of the towerand provided with an adjustable Weigh t, J. Pivoted to the sliding head, and projecting to the front, are two joint-rods, L L, which join the head to the arms M M of tworadial rock-shafts, N N, each journaled in the second wheel from rim to hub, and each having an B is the main arm at its outer extremity 0,-cxtending forward and engaging aloop or staple upon the inner surface of the rim C.

Now, it will be seen that the downward pressure of the weight J upon its lever tends to push forward the` sliding head G, and, through tht` joint-rods L, to rock the shafts N, and to swing the arms O in opposite directions, thereby rotating the second wheel, or tending to rotate it, in such a direction that the sails will be swung upon their pivots into the position shown at Fig. l of the drawing. The force of the weight is, therefore, al ways applied to the sails to keep them in the wind, and they only depart from this position, and move up on their pivots, when ,the wind becomes strong enough to overcome the Weightand raise it more or less.

ln order to give a free motion to the parts the rods cl, which connect the sails to the second wheel, are put on the sails atan angle of, perhaps, thirty degrees, so that they shall swing as far to one side of the sail-pivot as to the other in the operation of opening or closing the sails. This permits an easy, free motion of the rod through the staple, and obviates the diiiculty of too much slant of the rod.

By this construction ofthe governing apparatus, and the employment of a second wheel, which does not slide upon the shaft, but simply rotates, with a limited independent rota-` tion, all undue strain is prevented upon the various p'arts ofthe mechanism, and a quick-` ly-sensitive government is insured. y

My improved mill will attend to itself under almost all circumstances, requiring very little watching, and, in a gale of wind, will present very little surface to catch the dangerous blast. v

Having thus fully described the construction and operation of my invention, that` which I claim as new, and desire `to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The main or sailcarrying wheel, att-ached rigidly to the shaft, and bearing sails pivoted at one edge, in combination with'a second wheel upon the same shaft, fixed at a certain dis- ,tance from the main Wheel, and having a limited independent rotation, induced or permitted bya Weight, said second wheel being connected to the sails by means substantially as specified, so that it will operate the sails withthe second wheel, the sails being connected with the second wheel by rods cl, placed-at a dividing angle, and playing through eyes upon said second wheel, substantially as speci- Y` tied..

CHARLES W. GATHGARHL Witnesses:

WMM. WEBBER, CEAS. W. MGCLURE.` 

